


The Second Unknowing

by NohrianxScum



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Crack Treated Seriously, Dialogue Heavy, Gen, Mild Gore, Retail-Typical Horror, The Unknowing, non-explicit gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:07:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21900712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NohrianxScum/pseuds/NohrianxScum
Summary: The Archivist is at his weakest and the Stranger is invited into the world once more. Also known as: The Unknowing We Do Not Talk About.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 46





	The Second Unknowing

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first TMA fic. It's not super canon-compliant and it probably shouldn't even exist, but LOOK, I do NOT question the ideas when they come. Mind the tags, and enjoy responsibly. Big thanks to Stef for accidentally dragging me into this fandom. Visit me on tumblr (nohrianxscum). 
> 
> I promise I'll deliver some proper horror at the earliest convenience.

“It’s too soon, Nikola. We should wait a few years before attempting the ritual again.”

“You don’t understand. Now is the perfect time. The Archivist is weak. That is, weaker than usual and certainly in no shape to stop us. And what’s left of his merry little troupe won’t be expecting it.”

“But we don’t have the _tools_!”

“We’ll work with what we have. The glory of the Unknowning would pale in comparison with the glory of the world we create, so what does it matter?”

“Is that skin you’re wearing at least from someone of importance?”

“Not sure, I got it in Tesco.”

“Their shift manager is gonna be pissed.”

“Oh, I think this _was_ the shift manager.”

“Important enough.”

“You worry too much, Sarah.”

“We lost our Corpses du Ballet.”

“Corpse.”

“That’s what I said.”

“You said Corpses. I won’t have any filthy puns sullying my ritual. Unless that’s what the Unknowning wants. Which I don’t know. Just the way it should be.”

“Okay, so, our Comrades du Ballet. Do we have any left?”

“I grabbed a few humans that didn’t subject themselves to the mortifying ordeal of being known on the way from Tesco.”

“The Choir?”

“I have a Spotify account.”

“That’s so… that’s so undignified. I don’t even want to do it if it’s going to be like… I mean, _Tesco_? Next you’re going to tell me we don’t even have a decent theatre.”

“Well...”

“Tell me it’s not gonna be Ikea.”

“… would some Lax Varmrökt cheer you up?”

“For fuck’s sake.”

* * *

_The last pale, anaemic light flickered, hissed, and died. Files of shadowy figures dispersed over the area, filling the model living spaces with their shaky, erratic movements. A strangled sob came from one of the fake kitchens. Nikola thought of smiling. A crackling sound echoed through the hall. Perfect. Sarah managed to hook up Nikola’s laptop to the Ikea’s sound system and was joining the dance._

_Nikola closed her eyes and slowly raised her hands. The music started. The blurred, blue shadows of the Corpse du Ballet followed her example. No more sobbing. That was it. Nikola felt a familiar tingle in her chest cavity. The reverberating power. Nor the plastic, nor the stolen skin could contain her in that moment._

_The dance began._

_A cry escaped her throat, only to be joined by the voices of the other dancers, melding together into perfect discord. Nikola no longer held any control over her body. It trembled, shook and bent in ways human body couldn’t. Her dancers followed suit._

_The cracking of breaking bones joined the choir. None of them noticed the pain in the ecstasy of the Unknowing. The song was nearing its climax. All meaning fell apart. Her surroundings seemed to fall apart as the sign divorced the signified. The centre couldn’t hold._

“WHETHER YOU'RE UP IN THE CLOUDS OR GOING WAY UNDERGROUND, IT'S EASY TO TAKE YOUR MUSIC WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO. WITH SPOTIFY PREMIUM, YOU CAN SAVE YOUR FAVOURITE SONGS TO YOUR PHONE AND LISTEN OFFLINE. THAT MEANS YOU CAN PLAY ANYWHERE, ANYTIME WITHOUT USING ANY DATA. AND RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN TRY PREMIUM FREE FOR 30 DAYS. READY TO MAKE THE MOVE? TAP THE BANNER TO LEARN MORE.”

_The Unknowing came to a screeching halt. Nikola looked up at the traitorous loudspeakers, mute with betrayal. She sank to her knees, wishing she had stolen some tear ducts at some point, because she really felt like crying. The skin of Steve, the Tesco Shift Manager slid off her shoulders with a wet plop._

“ _Ёб твою́ мать!”_

**Author's Note:**

> The song in question was probably Smetana's Moldau or Vivaldi's Cessate Omai Cessate. The Prelude from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde would do too.


End file.
